Locked-up maid: Court grants bail to doctor`s wife

New Delhi: A lady doctor arrested along with
her husband for allegedly leaving their 13-year-old maid
locked-up and starving in their flat here while vacationing in
Bangkok, was on Wednesday granted bail by a Delhi court.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) I S Mehta granted bail to
Dr Sanjay Verma`s medico wife Sumita Verma on grounds of being
a woman and not being required for further investigation.

The doctor is still lodged in Tihar Jail along with a
middleman Mahadev, who was arrested for allegedly bringing the
girl here from her village in Jharkhand.

The court gave bail to Sumita on a personal bond of Rs
25,000 with one surety of same amount.

"The petitioner (Sumita Verma) is a lady and is not
required for further investigation in the present case and the
victim has already been kept in children home for girls at
Nirmal Chhaya," said the court, granting bail to Dr Sumita and
asked her not to leave India without its permission.

The court also cautioned her against trying to influence
prosecution witnesses.

The couple had allegedly locked up the girl in their flat
at Dwarka in South West Delhi on March 25 before leaving the
country for Bangkok.

The girl, hailing from Jharkhand, was rescued four days
later on March 29 after neighbours saw her crying in the
flat`s balcony.

Sumita had moved the court for bail after she along with
her husband and an alleged middleman were sent to 14 days of
judicial custody, ending on April 22.